**HTML vs XML and XHTML**: **Their differences alongside code examples**
To clearly understand the differences between XML, XHTML, and HTML, it is essential to examine their purposes, syntax rules, and practical applications. Below,is an analysis of these markup languages in detail, providing illustrative code examples and discussing key distinctions.
1. **XML (eXtensible Markup Language)**
XML is a markup language designed to store and transport data. Unlike HTML, it focuses on defining data structures rather than displaying information. XML provides a flexible way to organize and share data across platforms and systems.
**Key Features of XML**:
* Data-centric: Primarily used for storing and transporting structured data.
* Strict syntax: Tags must be properly nested and closed, and attribute names are case-sensitive.
* Customizable: Allows users to define their own tags.
**Example XML Document:**
```xml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<bookstore>
<book category="COOKING">
<title lang="en">Everyday Italian</title>
<author>Giada De Laurentiis</author>
<year>2005</year>
<price>30.00</price>
</book>
</bookstore>
2. XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language)
XHTML is a stricter and more standardized version of HTML that conforms to XML syntax rules. It was developed to bridge the gap between HTML and XML, ensuring compatibility and consistency in web documents.
Key Features of XHTML:
* Strict syntax: Requires proper nesting and closure of all tags.
* Case sensitivity: All tags and attributes must be in lowercase.
* Enhanced consistency: Designed to be both human-readable and machine-readable.
Example XHTML Document:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title>Example XHTML Document</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to XHTML</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
</body>
</html>
3. HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
HTML is the standard markup language for creating web pages and web applications. It is widely used due to its simplicity and forgiving syntax, making it accessible for developers of all levels.
Key Features of HTML:
* Flexible syntax: Does not enforce strict rules for nesting or closure of tags.
* Display-oriented: Primarily used to structure and present content on web pages.
* Backward compatibility: Supported by all web browsers, even with minor syntax errors.
Example HTML Document:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example HTML Document</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to HTML</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph.
</body>
</html>
Key Differences Between XML, XHTML, and HTML
1. Syntax and Structure:
XML:
* Requires all tags to be properly nested and closed.
* Tags and attributes must be in lowercase.
* Strict adherence to rules ensures machine-readability.
XHTML:
* Follows XML rules, making it stricter than HTML.
* All tags and attributes must be in lowercase and properly nested.
* Ensures compatibility with XML parsers.
HTML:
* More lenient with syntax.
* Tags and attributes can be in any case, and some tags do not require closure.
* Allows quick and easy development without strict validation.
2. Purpose:
XML: Designed for storing and transporting data in a structured format.
XHTML: Combines the functionality of HTML with the rigor of XML to create web documents with consistent syntax.
HTML: Focused on structuring and displaying web content in a visually appealing way.
3. Parsing:
XML: Requires a dedicated XML parser to interpret documents.
XHTML: Adheres to XML parsing rules, ensuring stricter validation.
HTML: Can be parsed by lenient HTML parsers, accommodating minor errors.
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